Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Home Secretary in respect of the health and welfare implications for any baby whose mother is held in Dungavel House immigration removal centre.

Malcolm Chisholm: Policy and operational matters in relation to Dungavel are a matter for the Home Office. This includes matters relating to the provision of education services, other facilities for children, social work services and health.

  When any child, including an asylum seeker child, is taken into care he or she becomes the responsibility of that local authority’s social work department. Local authorities should act as good parents would in relation to the health care of children who are looked after by them and placed away from their own homes. Care plans should fully reflect health care needs and should include health promotion, general surveillance and assessment of developmental progress, as well as treatment for illness and accidents, in order to promote the physical, social and emotional health and development of the children.

Community Care

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish Scottish Community Care Statistics 2003 , as referred to in the Statistics Release, Home Care Services Scotland, 2003 .

Rhona Brankin: No publication date has been set as yet for "Scottish Community Care Statistics 2003". The reason is that, this year, the publication is being re-designed as a web-based series of linked documents, split by client group. Most of the information to be contained within the publication is already in the public domain and will be available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre. However, a list of the URLs for web versions of the most recent publications from which the data is drawn is as follows:

  Day Care Services, Scotland 2003:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00359-00.asp

  Direct Payments, Scotland 2004

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00370-00.asp

  Home Care Services Scotland 2003

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00313-00.asp

  Registered Blind and Partially Sighted Persons, Scotland 2003

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00292-00.asp

  Care Homes, Scotland March 2004

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00367-00.asp

  Financial Provision, 2003

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00335-00.asp

  Free Personal/ Nursing Care, Scotland 2004

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00368-00.asp

  Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics, 2002-03

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00344-00.asp

  Special Needs Housing

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00357-00.asp

  Carers: results from the 2003 Scottish Household survey Annual Report

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/housing/shsar03-20.asp

  Geriatric Medicine and Hospitals:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=1139&p_applic=CCC&

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=663&p_service=Cont

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=663&p_applic=CCC&p

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=962&p_applic=CCC&p

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/collect2.jsp?pContentID=2789&p_applic=C.

Employment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the proposed job cuts in the benefits processing service in Grampian, Tayside and Fife.

Malcolm Chisholm: Social security is a reserved matter for the Department for Work and Pensions. The Executive is in regular contact with the department on a variety of issues.

Enterprise

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to conference centres to help them attract major conferences.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is fully aware of the importance and value of business tourism, which is worth around £1 billion a year to the Scottish economy. VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit aims to make Scotland one of the world’s foremost destinations for conferences and exhibitions by 2015. While all Scottish conference destinations benefit from its marketing work, the unit works closely with the main city convention bureaux, helping them attract major conferences and providing financial support to assist with the presentation of bids for such events.

General Practitioners

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GPs offer a special appointments system for carers.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the percentage of GPs offering a special appointments system for carers is not held centrally.

  The NHS (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 require GP practices to offer consultations to all registered patients as part of the provision of essential services.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers ministers have had since 1995 to intervene in the advertisement, recruitment, selection and appointment of a GP by an NHS board or trust; how often such powers have been exercised; on what basis such powers were exercised, and within which NHS board areas.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS (Scotland) Act 1978 provides that ministers may give directions to NHS Boards on the exercise of their functions. No general directions have been made since 1995 in respect of advertisement, recruitment, selection and appointment in respect of GPs.

  The NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 and the NHS (Primary Medical Services Performers Lists) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 enable ministers to give particular directions to an NHS board when they remit a case for reconsideration following an appeal by a doctor.

  Since 1995 a direction has been given in one case. Following an appeal by a doctor who was not selected for a medical vacancy a direction was given for the re-advertising of the vacancy, and for consultation with local interests, to Lanarkshire health board.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rules and regulations covered the advertisement, recruitment, selection and appointment of GPs by an NHS board or trust between 1995 and 2004; what rules and regulations are currently in operation in respect of such appointments; whether there have been any breaches of such rules and regulations since 1995 and, if so, when any such breaches took place, what the breaches were and within which NHS board areas.

Mr Andy Kerr: The procedures for the admission of GPs to the medical list of an NHS board between 1995 and 2004 were contained in the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995. Since 1 April 2004 the NHS (General Medical Services Performers Lists) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 apply.

  The only breach of procedure which has come to the attention of ministers in that time was revealed in an appeal by a doctor who was not selected for a vacancy in 2004. An application in the name of a practice rather than an individual medical practitioner was accepted by Lanarkshire Health Board.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures were in place for ministers to approve the advertisement, recruitment, selection and appointment of GPs between 1995 and 2004 and what the current procedures are for GP appointments.

Mr Andy Kerr: Between 1995 and 2004 ministers had no role in any aspect of the appointment of GPs in individual cases unless an appeal was submitted by an unsuccessful applicant. If an appeal revealed a defect in any aspect of a case the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 enabled ministers to give an NHS board any directions they considered desirable to ensure the proper determination of an application. Generally similar provisions are contained in the NHS (Primary Medical Services Performers Lists) (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers personally approved appointments of GPs between 1995 and 2004 and whether such appointments are currently personally approved by ministers or delegated to officials within the Executive and, if so, to whom.

Mr Andy Kerr: The appointments of GPs between 1995 and 2004 was for the Scottish Medical Practices Committee and did not require the approval of ministers. Nor do ministers or officials of the Executive approve such appointments at present.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many single GP practices have been (a) advertised and (b) filled in each year since 1995, broken down by NHS board area.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP practices were initially appointed as single practices and subsequently became multi-practices in each year since 1995.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is not held centrally.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what period it considers to be acceptable between the advertisement of a vacancy at a GP practice and the deadline for submitting applications for that vacancy.

Mr Andy Kerr: The period in which an application could be submitted was entirely a matter for a NHS board.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued about the organisation of meetings held by officials from its health department with patient groups or representatives of the general public.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no specific guidelines relating to the organisation of meetings with Health Department officials and the public, but there are a number of materials which have been issued to support consultation and engagement with the public.

  The Scottish Executive has produced Good Practice Guidance on Consultations which stresses the importance of engaging with the public and provides support and guidance in doing so. The Scottish Executive Equalities Unit has complemented this with Good Practice Guidance – Consultation with Equalities Groups.

  Changing to Deliver was launched in January 2003 and is the Scottish Executive's corporate culture change programme. Key amongst its aims is to promote the outward focus of the Executive and its ability to inform, engage and consult meaningfully with the public in the development of policy and services. Guidance and support is available from the Changing to Deliver Team.

  Within the Patient Focus and Public Involvement programme of work, a toolkit to support the involvement of people Building Strong Foundations (Bib. number 34489) has been issued to the NHS and the Health Department. This includes practical examples of methods of involving people, including meetings. In addition, the Partners in Change initiative produced a Checklist of Meetings (Bib. number 34490) which are intended as a practical resource for people who set up or are involved in meetings with the public. Guidance will shortly be issued to the NHS and the Health Department on "Informing, Engaging and Consulting the Public in the Development of Health and Community Care Policies and Services".

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedure for filling the vacancy for a single GP practice at the Rowallan Medical Centre in Blantyre was governed by the National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 and whether these regulations applied to the rerun of that appointment.

Mr Andy Kerr: The provisions in the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 which dealt with vacancies for GPs contained various stages. Where more than one application was received, an NHS board was required to select a candidate and report to the Scottish Medical Practices Committee which would approve the addition of the candidate’s name to the NHS board’s medical list. By the time the selection process was rerun for the Blantyre vacancy that committee had been abolished, the 1995 regulations were revoked and the new GMS contact was in place. It was not therefore possible to complete the process under the 1995 Regulations. To deal with such a situation the General Medical Services (Transitional and Other Ancillary Provisions) (Scotland) Order 2004 came into effect on 1 April 2004. It provides that the provisions in the 1995 regulations up to and including the selection stage remain in force to deal with outstanding cases. It makes clear that once an NHS board has selected a candidate that doctor is offered a contract to provide general medical services under the new arrangements.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure was to enable a single GP practice to become a multi-GP practice between 1995 and 2004 and what the current procedure is.

Mr Andy Kerr: Under the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 it was a matter for each GP on the medical list to decide whether to practise on their own or in a group practice. Any change to the arrangement had to be notified to the NHS board and patients.

  The NHS (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 provide that any variation to the contract held by a doctor or doctors must be notified to the NHS board and agreed in writing before it can take effect.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is legally competent to disallow a right of appeal against a decision by an NHS board in respect of an application for a single GP practice vacancy which was held under the National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 where the filling of the vacancy has been rerun.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 were revoked on 1 April 2004. The General Medical Services (Transitional and Other Ancillary Provisions) (Scotland) Order 2004 kept in force certain provisions of the 1995 regulations dealing with vacancies for GPs so that cases which started before that date could be concluded. The right of appeal in cases which had been reconsidered was not one of the saved provisions.

  The order was approved by the Parliament and is held to be legally competent.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is legally competent to remove the provision for an appeal procedure from the regulations which replaced the National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 governing the appointment of a GP to a single practice and whether this is consistent with human rights legislation.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 were revoked by the NHS (Primary Medical Services Performers Lists) (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The 2004 Regulations were approved by the Parliament and are held to be legally competent and consistent with human rights legislation.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reinstate the right of appeal for unsuccessful applicants for a GP vacancy into its new rules and regulations for the appointment of GPs and, if so, whether this right will be backdated to the date of the introduction of the new rules and regulations.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no plans to do so at present.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the rules and regulations governing the appointment of general practitioners in order to provide greater statutory participation by patients’ representatives.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004 places a duty on NHS boards to ensure public involvement and equal opportunities. This applies to the development and provision of services generally, but would not extend to final decisions on the appointment of GPs or NHS staff. While boards should take steps to consult patients on proposals to appoint GPs and listen to views, it is for the board to make the final decision on employment matters. There are no plans to review the arrangements at present.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out a comprehensive review of all the procedures pertaining to the appointment of GPs to ensure fairness and accountability and to improve the information flow to, and involvement of, patients and their representatives.

Mr Andy Kerr: The arrangements for the appointment of GPs under the new general medical services contract came into effect on 1 April 2004. There are no plans to review them at this time.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Health Improvement Fund still exists in its original form.

Rhona Brankin: No. The Health Improvement Fund was originally established for a four year period. Whilst a separate fund no longer exists, resources continue to be directed towards health improvement and have been increased. The fund had included an element of additional funding directed to NHS boards; this element has been continued and is now incorporated into board main allocations.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to conduct a review of changes in real and relative house prices.

Malcolm Chisholm: As part of its Review of Affordable Housing, the Executive conducted an analysis of the Scottish housing market. This analysis included a review of the evidence on house price trends and was published on the Executive’s website on 7 July 2004.

  The relevant document can be located at the following weblink: www.scotland.gov.uk/about/DD/H3/00019504/page1661430580.aspx.

Legal Aid

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil legal aid grants were paid for divorce cases in each of the last five years and what the total cost was of such grants was in each year.

Hugh Henry: The following table sets out the number of divorce cases in which a final civil legal aid payment was made, and the total gross cost of divorce cases funded by the Scottish Legal Aid Board in each year since 1999.

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Number of cases paid
5,637
4,650
4,122
3,701
3,587


Total Paid
£9,039,077
£7,749,518
£7,151,100
£5,993,682
£5,771,760

Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to bring parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 into force and whether it will specify the date from which relevant associated strategies, guidance and other measures, including in particular the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, will have effect.

Lewis Macdonald: The remaining provisions of Parts 1, 2 (except for section 22), 4 and 5 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 ("the 2004 Act") come into force today.

  Commencement is provided for in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2004. Sections 15(2), 53, 54, 56 and 59, and Part 3, of the 2004 Act are already in force.

  Section 22, which relates to the establishment of a new national register of sites of special scientific interest ("SSSIs"), will come into force in due course, once development of the new register has been completed.

  Two Scottish Statutory Instruments, which complement the provisions in the 2004 Act, also come into force today. These are:

  the Nature Conservation (Designation of Relevant Regulatory Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2004, (SSI 2004/474), and

  the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004, (SSI 2004/475).

  I am also today making the following formal announcements:

  The document entitled Scotland’s Biodiversity: It’s in your hands – A strategy for the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in Scotland (Scottish Executive, May 2004, ISBN 0 7559 4120 9) is hereby designated, with effect from 1 January 2005, as the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy referred to in Part 1 of the 2004 Act. An electronic version of the strategy can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/sbiiyh-00.asp.

  I am today launching guidance for public bodies to support them in implementing their obligations under the new biodiversity duty in section 1 of the 2004 Act. This guidance is being issued as a web-based publication and can be viewed on the internet at www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk. We will continue to develop this guidance, and I welcome comments on the current version of the publication.

  The document entitled Financial guidelines for supporting the management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Natura 2000 sites (Scottish Executive, October 2004, ISBN 0 7559 2516 5) is guidance issued by the Scottish ministers under section 54(1) of the 2004 Act. It has full effect from today and replaces the publication Financial Guidelines for Management Agreements (Scottish Office, February 1983, ISBN 0 1175 1639 2). An electronic version of the October 2004 guidelines can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/fgsssi-00.asp.

  The electronic publication, Guidelines for selection of biological SSSIs, published on the website of the United Kingdom’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee ("JNCC") at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/publications/sssi/default.htm, is guidance approved by the Scottish ministers under section 54(1) of the 2004 Act and contains information of the description referred to in section 54(2)(a) of the act.

  The electronic publication, Guidelines for the selection of Earth Science SSSIs published on the JNCC website at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/publications/sssi/gcr/default.htm, is guidance approved by the Scottish ministers under section 54(1) of the 2004 Act and contains information of the description referred to in section 54(2) (a) of the Act. The principles and selection methods used are also published in An Introduction to the Geological Conservation Review (Geological Conservation Review Series No. 1. Editors: N.V. Ellis et al., JNCC, 1996. ISBN 1 8610 7403 4), which is available from the JNCC.

  An abridged version of this publication can be found at: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/earthheritage/gcr/introduction.htm.

Planning

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce legislation to give local authorities more powers to force owners to maintain derelict commercial properties to a decent standard.

Johann Lamont: We have no plans to introduce new legislation to give local authorities further powers in this area. Planning authorities already have the powers necessary to deal with land or buildings the condition of which is adversely affecting the amenity of their district.

  Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 gives planning authorities the power to serve on any owner, lessee or occupier of any such land or buildings a notice requiring the person responsible for the land to take whatever steps are necessary to abate the adverse effect. Where the recipient of such a notice fails to comply with its requirements, the planning authority have powers under section 179 to take steps to rectify the situation to their satisfaction and recover from the person who is the owner or lessee any expenses reasonably incurred by them in doing so.

  Part 3 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 also created a new discretionary power which enables local authorities to do anything they consider is likely to promote or improve the well-being of their area and/or persons in it. This power is designed as an enabling measure, giving local authorities the freedom to work in a more innovative and creative way in responding to the needs of their communities.

  Guidance on the use of the power was issued by Scottish ministers in April 2004 - The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003: Power to Advance Well-Being Guidance. It may be found on the Executive’s internet site at the following address www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/localgov/pawbg-00.asp.

Public Defence Solicitors' Office

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11708 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2004, whether it considers that the position whereby the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office (PDSO) in Edinburgh has an allocated percentage of the custody court duty plan in Edinburgh constitutes an automatic right of the PDSO to represent an accused person and, if so, whether it will amend this right.

Hugh Henry: No. Solicitors acting as duty solicitor, whether from the PDSO or a private firm, will act for any person held in custody who requests their services. This does not restrict the freedom of any individual to choose a solicitor to act for him or her.

  The PDSO’s share of the summary duty plan in Edinburgh was set initially at 60% but has been reduced by the Scottish Legal Aid Board in subsequent years and for 2004 was at 40%. In solemn matters the PDSO has the same pro rata share as any comparably sized private firm.

Public Defence Solicitors' Office

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11049 by Hugh Henry on 8 November 2004, how much was paid for acts of criminal legal assistance (a) in total and (b) to the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office (PDSO), broken down into (i) solemn and (ii) summary legal aid and (iii) advice by way of representation, (iv) advice and assistance and (v) duty payments in each year since the PDSO opened.

Hugh Henry: The table shows expenditure on Criminal Legal Aid broken down into the main expenditure types, the total cost of Criminal Legal Assistance and the total cost of the PDSO for each of the last five years.

  

Criminal Legal Assistance
1999-2000
(£000)
2000-01
(£000)
2001-02
(£000)
2002-03
(£000)
2003-04
(£000)


Solemn Criminal
23,641
27,342
31,197
33,461
39,870


Summary Criminal
44,927
40,407
42,016
46,056
48,859


Criminal ABWOR
2,384
2,798
2,880
3,361
3,444


Criminal Advice and Assistance
7,512
8,281
8,583
8,880
9,012


Duty
870
835
813
878
945


Total
79,334
79,663
85,489
92,636
102,130


Cost of PDSO
430
390
364
319
376*



  Note: *This figure includes set up costs for the new PDSO offices in Glasgow and Inverness of £17,000.

  As the PDSO is not paid on a case-by-case basis, it is not possible to break down the costs for each legal aid type.

Public Sector

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish its plans for promoting efficiency in Scotland’s public sector.

Mr Tom McCabe: Today the Scottish Executive published Building a Better Scotland: Efficient Government – Securing Efficiency Effectiveness and Productivity . This plan describes how the Executive will increase the efficiency, effectiveness and productivity of the Scottish public sector, save at least £745 million a year by 2007-08, and achieve aggregate cumulative cash-releasing savings over the next three years of £1,732 million, and work towards its initial target of £1 billion a year by 2009-10. The plan also contains proposals for further "time-releasing" efficiency savings, including five initial areas of reform which aim to produce the equivalent of £300 million annual savings by 2007-08.

  Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34543).

Regeneration

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific steps it has taken to advance the regeneration of the site of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Bishopton, Renfrewshire.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive established and then participated in the Bishopton Working Group. As a result of this work, developers were able to compile a master plan for the site and it is now for them to take forward the project. Scottish Enterprise is maintaining contact with the developers and will consider whether specific support is appropriate as the project moves forward.

Residential Care

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places are available for (a) residential childcare and (b) residential respite care.

Euan Robson: Figures on the number of residential childcare places was published in Children’s social work statistics 2003-04 on 26 October 2004. Full details can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00369-00.asp . Figures on the number of residential respite care places cannot be identified separately.

Roads

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Aberdeen Haudagain roundabout traffic survey has been completed and, if so, what the findings of the survey were and what plans it has to upgrade the roads in this area.

Nicol Stephen: A detailed traffic model for the Haudagain roundabout will be completed in early December. This model will then be used to test and assess various options for improvement and we anticipate this work to be completed during April 2005. Decisions on whether any action is to be taken will be made following completion of the option assessment.

Roads

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in determining whether a new junction should be permitted on the M8 motorway to facilitate improved access to the Royal Ordnance factory site at Bishopton to accommodate the proposed regeneration.

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance report and recommendations in respect of the proposed new M8 motorway junction near Bishopton and when a decision is anticipated.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive received the main audit report on 19 November and made this available to the developer on 23 November. The audit report identifies the need for further information. The timetable for decision will be dependent on the submission and audit of this further work.

Roads

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to accelerate progress on the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance report and recommendations in respect of a new M8 motorway junction near Bishopton.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has encouraged close contact with the consultant developing the applicant’s Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance submission. Scottish Executive officials have made themselves available to provide advice and guidance in an effort to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate work. Further meetings will be held shortly.

Roads

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the progress made to date in considering a new junction on the M8 motorway near Bishopton is compatible with its aim of growing the Scottish economy.

Nicol Stephen: The issues to be addressed in considering a new junction on the M8 motorway near Bishopton are complex. In reaching its decision on whether to allow new accesses on a motorway, the Scottish Executive needs to consider the impact that providing extra accesses will have on congestion and traffic flows on a motorway network which is clearly of significant importance to the Scottish economy. The impact on the M8 needs to be balanced against the benefits of a new access for the Bishopton development.

Scottish Water

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scottish Water is aware of local housing strategies so that appropriate investment in water and sewerage are included in future investment plans.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Water is a statutory consultee on planning strategies, is involved in the process and makes its representations known to local authorities. It is already involved in a number of Community Planning Partnerships and wrote recently to all Scottish local authorities indicating its willingness to become involved in such partnerships. The Quality and Standards III consultation made clear that Scottish Water’s investment programme to 2014 would be informed by the priorities for economic development and area regeneration set out in the National Planning Framework for Scotland.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what directions it has given to community planning partnerships regarding the future funding of projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Advice to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) was first issued last year when we published guidance on integrating Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) and CPPs. The guidance set out the requirement for CPPs to maintain the large part of SIP expenditure in 2004-05 on existing SIP areas and themes. The information is given on page 10 of Integrating Social Inclusion Partnerships and Community Planning Partnerships published by Scottish Executive in August 2003, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34488).

  More recent advice has been provided following the announcement of the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF), which commences in April next year. CPPs are required to submit Regeneration Outcome Agreements (ROAs), which will include the need to set out how CPPs are managing the transition towards targeted outcomes. CPPs will therefore require to consider how existing SIP projects and services fit with the specific regeneration outcomes the CPP aims to achieve. The information is given on page 16 of Community Regeneration Fund guidance on Regeneration Outcome Agreements published by the Scottish Executive in August 2004, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34043)

  Where CPPs decide continuation of funding of former SIP projects is no longer appropriate, CPPs have been advised to consider whether they should sustain such projects using mainstream resources, funding from other programmes or whether time-bound exit strategies should be used.

  The guidance is also available on the Communities Scotland website: www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any communication with local authorities regarding the future funding of projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Communities Scotland has been in communication with Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs), which include local authorities as partners, about the process of integrating Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) with CPPs. This has taken the form of guidance and support in moving forward that process.

  Advice to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) was first issued last year when we published guidance on integrating SIPs and CPPs. The guidance set out the requirement for CPPs to maintain the large part of SIP expenditure in 2004-05 on existing SIP areas and themes. The information is given on page 10 of Integrating Social Inclusion Partnerships and Community Planning Partnerships published by the Scottish Executive in August 2003, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34488).

  More recent advice has been provided following the announcement of the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF), which commences in April next year. CPPs are required to submit Regeneration Outcome Agreements (ROAs), which will include the need to set out how CPPs are managing the transition towards targeted outcomes. CPPs will therefore require to consider how existing SIP projects and services fit with the specific regeneration outcomes the CPP aims to achieve. The information is given on page 16 of Community Regeneration Fund guidance on Regeneration Outcome Agreements published by Scottish Executive in August 2004, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34043).

  Where CPPs decide continuation of funding of former SIP projects is no longer appropriatek, CPPs have been advised to consider whether they should sustain such projects using mainstream resources, funding from other programmes or whether time-bound exit strategies should be used.

  The guidance is also on the Communities Scotland website: www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any directions to local authorities about the future funding of projects previously funded by social inclusion partnerships.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Advice to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs), which includes local authorities as partners, was first issued last year when we published guidance on integrating Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPS) and CPPs. The guidance set out the requirement for CPPs to maintain the large part of SIP expenditure in 2004-05 on existing SIP areas and themes. The information is given on page 10 of Integrating Social Inclusion Partnerships and Community Planning Partnerships published by Scottish Executive in August 2003, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34488).

  More recent advice has been provided following the announcement of the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF), which commences in April next year. CPPs are required to submit Regeneration Outcome Agreements (ROAs), which will include the need to set out how CPPs are managing the transition towards targeted outcomes. CPPs will therefore require to consider how existing SIP projects and services fit with the specific regeneration outcomes the CPP aims to achieve. Where CPPs decide continuation of funding of former SIP projects is no longer appropriate, CPPs have been advised to consider whether they should sustain such projects using mainstream resources, funding from other programmes or whether time-bound exit strategies should be used. The information is given on page 16 of Community Regeneration Fund guidance on Regeneration Outcome Agreements published by the Scottish Executive in August 2004, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34043)

  The guidance is also available on the Communities Scotland website: www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk.

Social Services

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the entry qualification is for staff working in residential child care.

Euan Robson: Employers in recruiting and selecting staff for care homes for children and young people take into account the type of post applied for, safe recruitment practices including Disclosure Scotland requirements and checks with previous employers, and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration requirements.

  Registration with the SSSC requires staff to have or achieve certain qualifications within a set timescale – usually three years from initial registration. The qualification requirements set by the SSSC vary according to the role to be carried out by staff and according to the type of setting or service in which they are employed.

  Registration of residential child care managers commences in April 2005. For staff in residential child care settings with supervisory responsibilities, registration commences in October 2005 and July 2006 for all other staff working in residential child care settings. Whilst specific entry qualifications for staff working in residential child care are determined by employers, the qualification requirements set by the SSSC to work in such settings must be taken into account.

Social Services

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will move towards priority of status in pay between residential child care and field social work.

Euan Robson: Pay of workers in these sectors is a matter for employers and there are no plans for the Scottish Executive to become involved.